A sweeping account of Egypt in the modern era: what Egypt is, what it stands for, and its relation to the world.

Experts from the Council on Foreign Relations and the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution propose a new, nonpartisan Middle East strategy drawing on the lessons of past failures to address both the short- and long-term challenges to U.S. interests.

A critical examination of how the legacies of military control in Egypt, Algeria, and Turkey affect political development in these countries, highlighting the often-overlooked difficulties of promoting democratic change in military-dominated political systems.

Military and popular support for Tunisian President Ben Ali's departure from power could mean pressure on new leadership for reform, and could also lead to modest concessions to reform in Egypt and elsewhere, says CFR's Steven Cook.

The recent bombing of a Coptic Church in Egypt underscores deep sectarian tensions and reflects the need for a more open and tolerant society, says CFR's Steven Cook, but Egypt's government would rather ignore underlying political causes.

Egypt's parliamentary elections played out in a predictable, marred pattern and may presage a time of instability, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

The win by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's party in the referendum on constitutional changes could improve Turkish democracy, says CFR's Steven A. Cook, but fuels concerns about whether it augurs a more religiously oriented political environment.

Lisa Anderson, Steven A. Cook, and Michele Dunne examine Egypt's political future in a post-Mubarak world.

Turkey's rise as a regional and economic power with its own set of interests, along with anger toward Israel about the Gaza flotilla incident, explains much of the chilling in Turkey's relationships with Israel and the United States, says CFR's Steven Cook.

Israel's response to a humanitarian aid flotilla off Gaza marked another setback for U.S.-Turkish relations and could complicate the latest U.S.-brokered Mideast peace talks, says CFR's Steven Cook.

The"proximity talks" being conducted between Israelis and Palestinians probably won't lead to a final status agreement, say CFR experts Elliot Abrams and Steven A. Cook, but they could lead to the framework for a Palestinian state on the West Bank.

CFR experts assess the causes for the U.S.-Israeli divisions over the settlements issue, citing everything from diplomatic bungling to Obama administration aims to destabilize the Israeli coalition.

Steven A. Cook comments on the successes of the Bush administration's policies on Syria, Iran, and democracy in the Middle East.

A U.S. House panel's vote recognizing the 1915 deaths of ethnic Armenians as genocide could rupture U.S. ties with Ankara and set back Turkey's own effort to confront its past, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

The government's expanding investigation into an alleged Turkish military plot to seize power exposes the military's declining influence as democracy gains in the country, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

New strains in the Israeli-Turkish relationship stem from Turkey's concerns over conditions in Gaza and sloppy diplomacy on both sides, says CFR's Steven A. Cook.

Despite improved bilateral ties between the U.S. and Turkey, there are still significant differences that need to be managed when Prime Minister Erdogan visits the White House, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

Steven Cook asks if Palestinian leadership is going to use violence against Israel as a means to strengthen domestic support and gain a political advantage.

Steven Cook discusses the political instability in Turkey and its implications for peace in the Middle East.

CFR's Steven A. Cook says it was significant that President Barack Obama was pressing for "permanent status negotiations" between Israel and Palestine and not another interim accord, but adds that "the conditions on the ground don't lend themselves to progress."

CFR Mideast expert Steven A. Cook says Egypt and the United States have moved to end their estrangement but haven't made much progress in advancing Arab-Israeli peace.

Steven A. Cook explores the question, "Why haven't the Israelis attacked Iran's nuclear facilities?"

CFR Middle East expert Steven A. Cook says President Obama's trip to Saudi Arabia and Egypt will attempt to bring new energy to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and is likely to deliver a message on democracy in the Muslim world.